A FATAL FIRE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8481, 8 July 1907, Page 6

A FATAL FIRE.

MOTHER AND CHILD BURNED TO DEATH. TWO OTHER PEOPLE SEVERELY BURNED. By Telegraph —Press Association. DUNEDIN, July 7. A fatal fire occurred at Port Chalmers this morning. Constable Smart noticed flames issuing from a twostorey wooden house, and on hurrying to the scene found a young man named William Aberfield and his sis-ter-in-law, Hine Rehu, lying on the footpath severely burnt and injured. It appears that the inmates were awakened by the noise of the fire, and Aberfield rushed to the front window overlooking the street, and, telling his wife to throw their four-year-old child into his arms afte' he jumped down, he jumped about fifteen feet, and finding his wife did not appear climbed back through the window and searched for them, but was driven back by the flames and smoke before he could reach them. He, however, stumbled over his wife's sister (11 years old), crouching in a corner of the room. He picked her up and dropped her from the window on to the pavement, and jumped out again himself. Dr. Borrie quickly arrived on the scene, and'attended to the sufferers. Aberfield was badly burned and also sustained severe scalp wounds and lacerations from the broken window pane. Hine Rehu was so shockingly burned as to be almost beyond the hope of recovery. Both were sent to the hospital. After the fire was got under, the bodies of Mrs Aberfield and the child were discovered amongst the debris. Aberfield had only been in Port Chalmers about four weeks, and was employed at the new dock. His parents reside at Greenhills, near the Bluff. Mrs Aberfield only, came to Port Chalmers a couple of weeks ago to join her husband. Her little sister was staying with them on a visit. The house belonged to Mr John Watson, and was insured, but the amount is not yet ascertainable.